Friday, October 31, 2008

DENOUNCING DETENTION OF FELLOW BLOGGERS IN JFK

The purpose of this post is to denounce the detention of fellow bloggers and team members Ahmed Naje and Ahmed Al Deriny in JFK airport. It really is a big shame that the 8 of us, who came to be known in certain circles as "The 8 Bloggers" have come here to America to blog about American Democracy and be faced with this type of harsh reality. This project is funded by the USAID with the purpose of adding a few building blocks to the bridge across the cultural and political gaps between Americans and the rest of the world. For one branch of the US government to shamelessly cancel out the efforts of the branches trying to improve America's image in international eyes in the name of security , in my humble opinion, does not make America safe... not for Americans and not for Arabs.

Doesn't the Department of Homeland Security know that any terrorist planning any attack will not distinguish any differences between the victims, not racial, religious, or national differences.... and if that's the case... doesn't that make us potential victims too?

By the way, I was again selected for additional screening (when airport security check you for explosives) in Chicago, so was Mahmoud Saber... tell me again that's not profiling.

1 comment:

8 Egyptian bloggers are in the US for a first-hand look at the election campaigns.They will be blogging on this site through the presidential inauguration as part of a project by the Kamal Adham Center for Journalism Training and Research at The American University in Cairo.